Relationship and Joy

This is something I wrote for our church newsletter that is coming out next week. I wanted to share it here too.
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What is a relationship? One dictionary says a state of connectedness, a connection or association, especially an emotional connection. Just knowing about someone, being acquainted with them is not a real relationship. In a relationship, you must spend time with another person, talk to them, and know them well.

You cannot have a friend that you do not ever talk to or get together with. If you do not talk to your spouse or spend quality time together, you will not have a very good relationship.

With my spouse, I talk to him, I want to spend time with him, I think about him often. It is very important to me to do things for him and to please him.

I grew up with Christian beliefs. But I do not remember hearing people talk about “having a relationship with Jesus”. If I did ever hear that phrase, I am sure I just took it as being saved and that is all. I grew up thinking that all you need to do is believe in God and Jesus, go to church on Sunday, and be good. Very simple and basically true. You do need to do those things.

It was not until a few years ago that I finally found out what having a relationship with Jesus meant, and how important it is. I use to wonder how some people managed to be so committed to their faith. I wondered why some “fanatics” were the way they are. I wondered what makes people different like that when I believed in Jesus too—I just didn’t get extreme about it. But some of those people were ones I genuinely admired. I still admire people whose faith shines out from them, people who you can look at and see their love for Jesus. I did want to be that way, I just didn’t know how.

Relationship. That is how. You must spend time with God-in prayer. Get to know Him well—by reading His word. Think about Him during the day—you can’t just go to church on Sunday and not think about God again until next Sunday. I think about Him during the day—is this what He would have me do or say? Or I am asking Him to help me or forgive me many times throughout the day. I want to do things for Him, things He would want from me, to be an example of Him to the world. I want to please Him—that is my biggest prayer. If I please God, then I am doing what He wants, being what He made me to be, doing His will.

I certainly do not think that I am a super-Christian. Some days I think I am a really bad one! Every day I do things that I know displease Him. Some days I don’t read my bible. Some days my prayers are all short and don’t include all the things I know I need or want to pray about. I am definitely NOT perfect. But I DO have a relationship with Jesus now. That relationship is what now gives me a joy and peace that I never knew before. I have been called fanatic now. My greatest desire now is to know Him more, please Him, and for His love to shine out from me for others to see.

Do YOU have a relationship with Jesus? Have you been neglecting Him? Make sure you are connected to Jesus. I believe it is the only way to have “the joy of the Lord.”